Flexible metallic hose



United StateS Patent fLExIBLE NIETALLIC HOSE (:h iSfophef Befnafd vefe NeHSon, Lyl11fn, England, as-

Sfgnof fo E1ecffoydfau1ios Linlifed, Wafffngfo, 1ng 1and, Bffffsh oompany App1icofion Decembof Z3, 1952, sofia1 No. 327,5Z8

C1mS. (CL 138sD) elaStio fnatefia1 detefiofateS at ceftain teIf1I)efat11feS, Say

of 40 C. AS high pfesSufe 11uid SyStemS afe fequifed to wofk satiSfactofily ambient tempefatufes beloW thoSe Inentioned above, f1exible hoseS known hithefto cannot be eIn 1oyed. vafiouS pfoposa1S have been Ut fofvvafd, such, fof eXafflple, as figid Inetanic pipeS capa ble of Svive11ing in one of n1ofe planeS, but these pfopos a1S pfovide no satiSfactofy so1ution in ceftaif1 cifc1fIn stances, vhefe ffee Hexib1e movement of the pipe iS fe quifed.

Anothef pfoposa1 has been the 11Se of a n1eta1 pipe n1ade in the fofm of benoWS i Such a Way that an axial Sec tion thfough the pipe vva11 iS coffogated, but this constfuction iS only s11itable fof felatively low pfessufeS, as the fnatefia1 InUSt be thin, and the elfect of highef pfeS SufeS vol11d tend to extend the length of the pipe and to blow the invvafd coffugationS out, thuS i1attening the pipe Wa11. 1n anothef known affangen1ent, a fneta11ic hose has been feinfofced by Suffounding it vvith a bfaided vvife cy1indef of Sleeve; S11ch an affangen1ent hovvevef, can only be used fof conveying f111id Undef low pfeSSufe.

It iS an obiect of thiS invention to ovefconle theSe diS advantageS and to pfovide a Ineta11ic 11exible hose capable of vvithstanding high pfeSSufe and continued vibfation at 1ow an1bient tenlpefatufes s11ch as, fof exanople, fequifed on aifcfaft fof 11ight if1 high altitudes.

Accofding to the pfesent invention, n1etanic hose coInpfises a 11exible ffleta11ic tube foff1led vith a continuous helica1 gfoove, sn1oot111y undulating in longitudina1 Section, and feinfofcing Wife insefted in the gfoove,

The tefm he1icaL as hefein uSed, iS 11ot intended to be 1inited to itS nofma1 geofnetfica1 SenSe, but is intended to covef a gfoove funning continuoUSly found and thfoughout the 1ength of the tube.

The gfoove if1 the n1etallic tube iS pfefefably SubStantia11y Seffli-cifculaf in section So as to fit the feinfofcing vvife, the Space of hnnlps betvveen tvvo t11fns of the 11elical gfoove being a1so sI1bSfa11tially Sen1i-cifoulaf in shape, i11 the opposite senSe to the gfoove, i. e. oLltvvafds.

The Said nietal1ic tube is pfefefably fe1ative1y thin vvalled so aS to pfovide flexibility and any oifc11n1fefentia1 stfeSSes set up by intefna1 pfeSSufe Within the tube afe felieved by the feinfofcing vvife aS in the case of vife wound pfeSSUfe vessels.

It wi11 be Seen that the foffnation of the tube and the disposition of the feinfofcing vVifes feact the loadS doe to the pfeSSufe in the 11TJid, While n1aifltaining 11eXibility of the ovefa11 conStfuction; thI1s the tube vva11 iS fe1a tively thin and is fofmed so aS to withstand the pfesSufe betWeen tvvo adiacent tufnS of the foinfofcing vifo, and the feinfofcing Wife to Withstand the main pfesSofe in the z,7zD,zz1 ce f,afenfed oct. 11, 1955 cy1indef tUbe. AI1 ontef layef of vvife of bfaid n1ay be added to vvit11Stand the outofba1ance end loads of tofSional 1oadS due to the 11I1id pfeSSufe.

The invention iS diagfan1fflatically illl1stfated in tho accofnpanying dfavving in which Figufe 1 is a side e1evation, paftly in section of one foffI1, Figufe Z being an end e1evation thefeof, Whilst Fignfe 3 iS a vieW Si111ilaf-to igUfe 1 of a fflodi1ied foff11 Figufe 4 iS a sectiona1 viev of a tube vvith a single feinfofcing wife to an en1afged Scale.

Refeffing to Figufes 1 and Z a metanic hoSe oofnpfiSes a thif vvalled nTeta11ic tube 1 pfovided With a continnonS helical gfoove 2 in vhich iS inSefted a feinfofcing vvife 3, the Wife Stfeflgthening the tube fadially againSt pfeS SUre exefted, vvhen the tube is i11 lJSe, by the 11]Jid thofe in. Betvveen the fadia11y olltef paftS of the h11fnps and adiacent paftS of the feinfofcing Wife 3 thefe afe foffned SobstantfaHy Wedge Shaped fecesseS, as best shown in Figufe 4. one of Inofe additiona1 1apS of vvife 4, 5 fflay be wound ovef the fffst feinfofcing Wife and bo seated of vvedged i1 the vvedge Shaped fecesses to feact the out-of balance end of tofSiona1 1oads, one SUch vvife 4 beif1g Showfl in Fignfe 1 and two SUch Wifes 4 and 5 being show11 in Figllfe 3. /1tefnative1y of additiona11y the fo fnfofced tube can be suffounded by a bfaid o fo this pufpose, aS Shovvn at the bottom fight hand oofnef of Figufe 1.

The tnbe nlay be fflade out of any knovv11 ffleta1, pfefef ably oI1t of Phosphof bfonze, Inetal kf1ovvn nndef the fegistefed tfadeITlafk MoneL of I. MoneL Stainless Stee1 and the Hke. Whefe the fnatefia1 is capable of being heat tfeated aftef fofn1ing, in ofdef to incfeaSe itS Sffength, this nlay be convenient1y done.

The loads to be taken llp by the stfengthening vife 3 cafL be ca1culated aS follovvS, vvith fefefence to Figfe 4. AS the fube Z is felatively thin, the mean diametef D passeS t11fough the centfe of the feinfofcing vvife 3, if t11e vi/a11 thickneSS of the tube iS neg1ected, vvhioh oan be done fof pfactica1 pnf oSes. The (1ia.ffletef of the gfoo oS and the diametef of the feinfofcing Wife is identica1 and denoted by Z- ASSun1iflg the he1iX angle to be a and the tensiof1 StfeSS in the tube if f is the thick11esS of the tube, and the tenSfon stfeSS i11 the feinfofcing vife equa1s of sifflpli1ied I clain1:

1. 1Zfetallic hose conlpfiSing a f1eXible ffletallic tLlbe having a contin11ouS helical gfoove and being smoothly undulating in longitudinal Section vith an outef Sufface coflStituted by syn1fnetfica1, SInooth1y curved hunlps and intefvening feceSSes; a feinfofcing vvife wfapped afoUnd said t11be in said gfoove, thefe being subStantia11y Wedge Shaped fecesseS betvveen the fadially o11tef paftS of Said feinfofcing Wife and the adiacent hI1In )S on Said tI1be; and al Second wife of Sfna11ef cfoSSSection than Said feinfofcing vvife vvfapped helically afound the aSSeIT1bly con 0 Sfitl1ted by Said tUbe and Said feinfofcing wife fevefSely to the vvfapping of Said Teinfofcing vvife so aS to cfoSS over coovolutionS of soid Teinforcing vvife at poi11ts along Said tobe a11d .to extend info said Wedge shaped fecesSeS i11 Wedged engageInent between Said tube and said fein focing Wife at othor points TegulaTly Spaced along Said to e.

Z. Metanic hoSe aS Set forth in claiTn 1 in vvhich a third Wife, alSo sn1anef i 11 cfoSS-Section than said Teinforcing Wife, is WTa ped afound Said aSSen1bly conStituted by Said fobe and said Teinfofcing Wife helically in the Same di feotioo as said Teinforcing vvife.

3. MetalHc hoSe aS set fofth i11 claim Z in which Said tf1if(1 vffe cooSSeS ove1 convolutionS of Said feinforcing Wo at'1)oi11tS Spaceda1ong Said tube and extends into said Wedge Shaped recesSeS at other points spaced along sofd tube.

-4. MetlHc hoSe Compfising a eXible metaHic tube havi11g a continUoUS helical gtoove; a reinforcing Wife vvap )od aToond said tube in Said gToove; and a Second vvffe of sn1aller oross-Section than Said TeinfoTcing wife, vvrapped helically afound the aSSeInbly constituted by the tobe and said TeinfoTcing We Tevefsely to the Wrapping of said feiI1fofcing Wire, said Second vviTe crossing ovef oonVolufions of Said Teinfofcing vvife at pointS along said tubo a11d oxtending into said gToove in Wedged engage ment With said fube and said Teinfofcing Wife at othe1 poiots fegolarly Spaced aloI1g Said tnbe to fofIn Ineans fof coun1efacting the out of balance end loads and torsional loadS of Said 1T1etallic t11be and said feinforcing Wife.

-S. Metauio hose con1priSing a flexible metanic tube haviog a oontinuous helical gfoove and being S1T1oothly undnlating in longitudinal section With an outer su1face constituted by SymmetficaL smoothly curved hnmps and intefvening TeceSSes; a Teinforcing Wire wTapped aTound Said tube in said gfoove and being of a cTosSsectioI1a1 dia1I1ete1 s11bstantially equal to the Tadial diStance froTn thoToot of soid depresSions to the outefInoSt part of Said hoolps, the curvatufe of Said feinfofcing wife and the corvatore of said homps foTIni11g substantially vvedge Shaoed Tecesses between the Tadial outer partS of Said Teinfofoing `vviTe and adiacent hunlpS on said tube; and a Second vvife of SInallef cfoSS-Sectional dian1eter than said xoiofofcing Wife vfapped helically aTound the t11be and Soid feifofcing vvife revefsely to the vvfappi11g of Said fe infofcing Wife so aS to cfosS ovef convolutionS of Said TeinfoTc1n Wire at oints alon Said tube and to extend into Said wedge shaped fecesS iI1 Wedged engagenent be tween Said tobe and Said feinforcing Wife at othe1 pointS fegularly Spaced along Said tobe.

6. Metanic hoSe compTiSing a eXib1e metanic tobe having a continuous helical gfoove and bei11g Smoothly undulating in longitudinal Section vvith an outeT Surface conS1ituted by syInInetTical, Smoothly curved homps and intervening TecesSeS; a feifo1cing Wife wfapped around Said tube in said groove and being of a cfoSSsectiona1 dia1e1ef S11bstantially equal to the Iadial (TiStance ffon1 the Toot of said de Tessions to the outefmost aTts of said humpS, the corvatufe of said feinfofcing wire and the cUTvatuTe of said f11111119S foTIning SubStantially wedge Shaped TeceSSeS betWeen the fadial outer paftS of said Teinfofcing wi1e and adjacent humps on said tobe a Second wire of Snlaller crosS-Sectional dian1eter than Said fein foTcing wire wfaped helically aronnd the tube and Said roinfofcing WiTe Tevefsely to the wfapping of Said Tein forcing wife So as to ofoSS over cof1volI1tio11s of Said Te infofcing vvife at pointS along Said tube and to extend into said wedge shaped TecesSes in Wedged engagement betvveen Said tube and Said rei ofofcing Wire at othef pointS fegulaTly Spaced along Said tube; and a covering of bfaid of high tensile IT1atefial suTTounding and furthe ein forcing `the aSSeInbly constituted by Said tube, Said rein fofcing wiTe, and Said Second wiTe,

Iefoeoces cifed in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS LZ84,956 EI1Tick Nov. 12, 1918 L688,303 Car enter oct. 16, 1928 L819,175 James Au 18 1931 1,9ZSZ31 Bund Se t. 5, 1933 Z,367,944 Du alls lan. 23, 194S Z,616,7Z8 Pitt Nov. 4, 1952 FOREIGN PATENTS 3Z8,6So FTance of 1903 414,233 GTeat Br1tain Au 2, 1934 S16,564 FTance Dec. 8, 1920 

